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Representatives from Precision Control Systems – a building systems company based in Lisle – presented Thursday to the Grundy County Facilities Committee, listing a number of engineering flaws in the facility's exhaust and ventilation system.

For months, a strong odor of feces and urine, as well as too much humidity, have plagued the animal control facility, causing an unpleasant environment for both workers and animals within the facility.

"The issue they run in to out there is as they wash things down, they get a ton of humidity in the air," Facilities Committee Chairman John Roth said Thursday.

Precision Control representatives investigated the issues and determined the original exhaust system construction was poorly executed and is causing problems with air pressure, flow and temperature.

"They misapplied equipment in this circumstance," a Precision representative told the committee.

Among the problems was a rusted fan that had not been working for what appeared to be an entire year, the Precision representative told the committee.

The pressure and humidity issues need to be fixed in order keep the kennel's odors from permeating the entire building.

After much discussion, the Facilities Committee recommended Grundy County Animal Control Director June Krull take $35,700 from the department's animal population fund to finance the exhaust project.

Currently, there is an excess of $75,000 available in pet population fund, according to the Grundy County budget.

At last month's county board meeting, members discussed transferring some of the pet population money out of the fund for other uses, but Grundy County Administrator Heidi Miller assured the Facilities Committee the money was still available.

According to Miller, Krull can use the money for improvements to the building.

"That's what that is for – to take care of the animals," committee member Ann Gill said.

If Krull chooses to go through with the project, the Precision representatives said they could have the project completed within the next few months.

Krull was not present at Thursday's meeting and could not be reached Friday.

The expenditure would need to be approved by the full county board, likely at its August meeting Tuesday.